• 城しろ — castle / fortress
• 城下町じょうかまち — castle town
• 名城めいじょう — famous castle
• 城壁じょうへき — castle wall
• 古城こじょう — old castle / ruins
• 城跡しろあと — remains of a castle (poetic or informal nuance)

The left radical 土 means “earth,” reflecting the use of soil in building fortifications. The phonetic part 成 contributes the reading ジョウ. Castles once symbolized power and security throughout Japanese history.

城しろを 見学けんがくしました。
I toured the castle.

彼かれは 城下町じょうかまちに住すんでいます。
He lives in a castle town.

この城しろは 歴史的れきしてきな建物たてものです。
This castle is a historical building.

🎧 The kunyomi しろ is used when referring to a specific castle or when naming places. ジョウ is used more broadly in compounds and academic contexts.